Study Center Completes Digitization of Historic Collection at National Archives of Malta

Ms. Michelle Busuttil taking the last picture of the MCC AO Digitization Project, June 2015.

Introduction

We have supported the Malta Study Center (MSC) the last three years along with matching gifts from the American and Western Associations.

The MSC comes under the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library that specialized in copying ancient manuscripts from around the world following a request by Pope Pius XII who realized that once these documents deteriorated or otherwise were destroyed, ancient knowledge would be lost forever. Once the items have been copied, they are available for study, now online.  A great deal of knowledge was preserved on the island of Malta, which described life under the governance of the Order as well as a significant amount of the local culture and history, including music that was found in the basement of archives and churches.

The information copied is not copied for the sake of copying but instead to offer curators and scholars an opportunity to discover often unknown works within their collections that are now available for future research. It plays an important role with the preservation of our 900 years of tradition and culture and is supported by the Grand Master and the Order's archivist Fra’ Emmanuel Rosseau.

Below is a press release from the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library.

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn.—The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library’s Malta Study Center in Collegeville, Minnesota has completed the digitization of the Acta Originalia series from the Magna Curia Castellaniae collection at the National Archives of Malta. The project which began in 2007 digitized 1,411 volumes of legal documents dating from 1543 through 1798.

The Magna Curia Castellaniae was the largest secular tribunal in Malta during the time of the Knights, being under the jurisdiction of the Master of the Order. Its chief officer, the Castellano, was a Knight of the Order; the court personnel consisted of a civil judge, a criminal judge, an exchequer, a vice-exchequer, two notaries, and several clerks. It was the largest existing tribunal on the island, and contained significant information about daily life on Malta. The tribunal heard both civil suits and criminal trials. A separate appellate court heard appeals to its judgments. In addition to the tribunal’s records, the Malta Study Center digitized the 25-volume index of the collection prepared by Dr. G. Portelli Carbone in the late 19th century.

The Center greatly appreciates the efforts of Mr. Charles Farrugia, National Archivist of Malta, and Mr. Noel D’Anastas, chief archivist at the Mdina facility. The Center also extends its appreciation to Mr. Stephen Busuttil, lead photographer, and his team of technicians at Image Consulting Malta. Special recognition and gratitude needs to be extended to Michelle Busuttil, who nearly single handedly digitized the entire collection (over 2 million images) over seven years on behalf of the National Archives and the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library.